Protecting endangered sharks

25 June 2012 | News story

Endangered sharks in the waters of the United Kingdom (UK) and its overseas territories will be given greater protection following the signing of an international agreement on the conservation of sharks, UK Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon announced last week.

The agreement, the first of its kind to address the global conservation of sharks, was signed by Richard Benyon on behalf of the UK and a number of its Overseas Territories.

Adopted under the Convention of Migratory Species it will help develop management measures to protect threatened species such as basking, longfin mako and whale sharks.

Under the agreement, work will focus on improving fisheries data for threatened shark species to help inform conservation and management actions. It will see better co-ordination of shark management and conservation measures at regional and international levels, including proposals to limit the catch or trade in endangered species of shark.